Visor structure



Oct. 13, 1936.

F. L. CYHADWICK VISOR STRUCTURE Filed July 22, 1935 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 13, 1936 vUNITED s'rfri-:s

VISOR STRUCTURE v Francis L. Chadwick, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Woodall Industries, Incorporated, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application July 22, 1935, Serial No. 32,531

9 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements' in visor construction and particularly to improvements in adjustable supporting mechanism adapted to permit the adjustment of a visor to any one of a plurality of positions and to support the same against accidental displacement at any one of said positions of adjustment. l

My adjustable supporting mechanism is adapted to automatically retain the supported member in any position to which it has been adjusted. It is noiseless in its operation. It provides a cushion adapted tol absorb jars or shocks which might otherwise set up undesirable vibrations. It is simple, inexpensive, and positive in its functioning. It eliminates the need for employing manually adjustable parts or elements to retain a position of adjustment. v

Other objects, advantages, and meritorious features of my invention will more Jfully appear from the following description, appended claims, and

1 accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a visor partly broken away `embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, 1

Fig. 3 is a. plan of the supporting bracket shown in Fig. 1, 1

Fig. 4 is a sectionalview through an improved type oi' supporting bracket, and

so Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views through a fragment of a visor embodying separate modications of my invention.`

My'invntion is shown as embodied in a visorv such as is used in the interior of. automobile closed bodies to shield the eyes o f an occupant from the rays of the sun. Such visors are ordinarily supported upon the header labove the windshield and so mounted as `to be capable of adjustment to be movedto a plurality of angular positions overlying the windshield to shield the eyes of the driver or to a position superimposing the 4win eld and out of the way.

It is of the side windows of the vehicle body. My invention is here shown as embodied in such a visor 1 construction. l I

A visor 'assembly of this character includes the visor panel proper, the support therefor which is commonly a swinging-arm or some similar device and the standard or bracket which secures the arm to the interior of the vehicle body. In the construction here shown, wherein my inventin is embodied in a visor panel, the panel is indicated so common practice to support such Q ,visor elements so that they may be swung to y 45 obstruct the rays of the sun enteringthrough one l generally by the numeral I0, the supporting rod or arm is I2 and the bracket is Il.' The bracket is shown in Figs. Zand 4 as securedv by screws I6 or the like to the header, indicated in dotted outline, which superimposes the'windshield, not here 5 shown. The utilization of such Visors is so well understood th'at an interior view of the vehicle body is not believed to be essential.

The visor panel illustrated' is made up of one or more laminations of material and in the con- 10 struction shown in Fig. 1 there is a binding I8 about the margin and the several laminations of material are stitched together along the line 20. In such structure, as shown in the sectional view of Fig. 2, there maybe a relatively rigid interior 15 lamination or body 22 which may be of stiff fiber board o r the like and which may deiine the 'general shape of the visor. overlying ,each side of this lamination 22 is a lamination 2l which may be of a fibrous material possessing thermoplastic characteristics so that it mayv be molded or shaped to a desired surface configuration. A'v suitable example is K B board which is an asphalt impregnated fibrous product. The outer surface of the visor may be covered with upholstery cloth 26 to correspond with the upholstery trim of the interior of the body. The binding I8 may be of artificial leather or otherl suitable material.V It is shown as stitched in place in Fig. 2 and separate lines of stitching 20 heretofore referred to o are shown as provided t6 secure the several layers l together. 1' 1 I A tubular mounting element 28 is provided which may be formed oi rubber or otherdeformable resilient material.` 'Ihis element is 35 shown as having a linearly extending lip 30 which is provided with a channel wherein the edge of the lamination 22 is received and held by the line of stitching` as shown in Fig. 2. The interior diameter' of this tubular rubber element yis such 40 that when the rod is disposed therein, the rubber. element will frictionally resistingly retain anyA position onthe rod to which it and the rod may `be relatively rotated. This'diameter is therefore not greater than the external diameter of the rod 45 I2 when I*disposed therein. When the rod I2 is received withinl the tubular element as shown in Fig. 1 the visor may be rotated about the rod but it is rotated againstthe frietional resistance caused by the gripping engagement of the rubber 50 tube upon the rod. As shown the rod need not extend al1 the way through the tubular mounting and to give a finish at the outer end a pin 32 may be inserted. f Y

Various methods maybe employed to insert 1the 55 rod within the .tubular mounting either by twisting it or screwing it in place or by forcing air into one end of the tubular mounting while the rod is being inserted through the opposite end or other suitable methods might be employed to facilitate the entrance ofthe rod. The construction is such that the frictional gripping engagement of the tube about the rod will hold the panel to any angular position of rotation to which it may be moved upon the rod. There are no metal parts to produce squeaks or noises. The tube serves as a cushion to absorb any shock or jar and prevent vibration. The assembly is cheap and as the rubber tube is completely covered its life is preserved and it will continue to function satisfactorily throughout the life of the visor.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a slightly modified form of a construction wherein the tubular member 28 is provided with a lip 3l which is not of channel i'orm but is shaped as shown in Fig. 5 and the rigid panel element or .body 22 overlies the nat.

face thereof and is secured by stitching thereto. 'I'his figure of the drawing also shows the employment of the overlying layers 24 and the covering material 26. e

In Fig. 6 a second modified form is shown. In this the tubular mounting 28 is provided with channeled lip 33 within which the rigid panel element or body 22 is received as illustrated and stitched in place by stitching 20. In this construction flexible wings or the like Il are provided and the covering material 26 may be inserted thereunder as shown in Fig. 6. In Fig. 6 these wings are shown in dotted outline as lifted up but they are adapted toinherently overlie the two sides of the panel as shown in the solid line view.

In the form of bracket shown-in Figs. 1 and 2 the' bracket includes a .base plate 26 which is adapted to be secured by the screws i8 to the header and it includes a clamping portion 28 which may be held by screws lll or the like so as to clamp about the short leg i3 of the rod I2.

- compressible deformable material such as rubber indicated at l2 which has a tubular portion through which the short leg I3 of the rod extends.

This element is arranged between the two armsof the -clamp 38 and pressure is exerted thereon through screws 40 so as to urge the same to snugly embrace the short leg i3 of the rod i2 so as to shown. In this structure the short leg Il of the rod I2 is received within a substantially vertical socket M. of a bracket which has a pair of supporting legs 4B of unequal length that are secured by screws 48 or the like to the header. Within this socket 44 is a tubular element 6l formed of rubber or the like which surrounds the rod. Screwed in one endof the socket is a nut 52 which is adapted to axially compress the tubular member 50 urging it frictionally against the rod so as to adjust the'gripping engagement thereof upon the rod. In this manner the rod may be so snugly engaged as to be held at any position of angular adjustment.V

I What I claim is:

1. In a visor assembly, a visor panel comprising two plies of panel forming material, a tubular rubber element extending lengthwise of the panel between said two plies holding them in spaced apartrelationship and secured against rotation therebetween, and a supporting rod having an external diameter greater than the internal diam-l eter of the tubular rubber element and disposed within said tubular element and grippingly engaged thereby permitting resisted rotation of the panel about the rod as an axis, said tubular eleelement frictionally gripping said rod permittingy resisted rotation of the panel aboutthe rod and releasably maintaining the panel at adjusted positions ofrotation thereabout.

' 3. In a visor assembly, a visor panel comprising two plies of visor forming material, a relatively rigid intermediate ply of less width arranged between said two plies, aresilient tubularrubber element extending between said two plies along one edge of said intermediate ply, said tubular element provided with a radially projecting linearly extending rib overlapping said rigid intermediate ply holding the rubber tubular element against rotation between said two plies, and a supporting rod having one end extending into said tubular element and frictionally grippingly engaged thereby permitting resisted rotation of the paneifabout said rod as an axis.

4. A visor panel including two plies of material, an intermediate relatively rigid ply of less width arranged therebetween, a resilient tubular rubber element extending between said two plies along the .edge of said intermediate ply, said tubular element provided with a linearly extending radially projectingchanneled web, thev edge of said intermediate ply beingdisposed within the.

channel of said web maintaining the tubular rubber element against rotation between said two complementary plies.

5. A visor comprising a relatively rigid panel of visor forming material, a tubular rubber strip provided with an outwardly open llneraly extending radially projecting channelled web, one edge of said panel seated within the channel of said web securing the rubber strip -to the panel against relative rotation and covering material folded over said rubber strip overlapping opposite sides of said panel and secured thereto.

6. 'Ihe invention as dened in claim 1 characterized in that said two plies of panel forming material constitute complementary halves of a single sheetof the material folded upon itself to form said two halves and with the tubular rubber` element extending lengthwise thereof within the fold.

7. A visor comprising a`relatively rigid panel of visor forming material, a tubular rubber strip provided with an outwardly open linearly extending radiallyl projecting channelled web, one edge of 'said panel seated within the channel of said web securing the rubber strip to the panel against relative rotation and covering material extending over each side of said panel and having its vtending along one margin of the visor; said vstrip edge portion adJacent to the web oi' the rubber strip embedded within said web.

8. A visor including a relatively rigid panel of visor forming material, a tubular rubber element extending along one edge of said panel, said tubular rubber element being providedwith an integral radially projecting linearly extending rib overlapping the adjacent marginal portion of said panel and secured thereto, and'covering material folded over the rubber element and secured in position overlying opposite sides of the panel.

9. A visor including a tubular rubber strip exbeing provided wlth a linearly` extending channelled web, a relatively stii body dening the general .shape of the visor having one margin seated within the channel of said web, anda supporting rod extending into said tubular strip and frictionally grippingly engaged thereby to maintain the strip and body at any position to which they may be rotated about the rod while permitting resisted rotation thereabout.

FRANCIS L CHADWICK'. 

